The International Land Coalition and Oxfam issued an important report in December entitled “Uneven Ground: Land Inequality at The Heart of Unequal Society”.
Its analysis shows that the problem of land inequality is larger than thought. This has an impact in particular on the livelihood of the poor, especially on women, the young and indigenous peoples.
As the report pointed out, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) talk a great deal about counteracting rising inequality and that no one should be left behind. Yet land is scarcely discussed, though it is access to land that is crucial for the livelihood of the poor. The issue of land grabbing has been researched. This research goes into the roots of inequality and looks at the changes caused by the agri-food system increasingly responsible for land grabbing and rising food insecurity.
The trend affects some 2.5 billion people.
Smallholders are getting forced off the land, which tends to be held by fewer hands through huge corporations and investors, with fewer hands needed for work in the Agri-business.
This means that communities are not only deprived of their livelihoods, usually without compensation, but also of their livelihood. Land grabbing particularly impacts women and youths, the most disadvantaged, which tends to move them into the ranks of the unemployed.
The report points out, quoting inter alia the OECD “ Transparent reporting by investors and accountability are unlikely to happen without enforcement. While numerous aspirations are set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, or the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), among others, such mechanisms lack impact. Little will change without compulsory compliance and reporting requirements and national governments (especially of investor countries) holding companies registered in their jurisdictions to account.” (Synthesis Report p.54)
It’s time to turn the spotlight on the system of agri-food and land grabbing!
NB www.ruth-weiss-gesellschaft.de has just issued a preview : Ruth Weiss has written a new novel on this subject which will be published in German this spring !